THE BOSTON MYCOLOGICAL CLUB Request for mushrooms for biomedical research.

Dear BMC Member,

For the past few years I have been researching the chemicals produced by the mushrooms that many of you routinely encounter during your weekend walks.  In fact, some of the mushrooms that you have collected at previous NEMF forays have found their way to my freezers. I have been doing this work at my laboratory located at the University of Connecticut at Avery Point in Groton, CT.  Here, the chemicals in the mushrooms have been extracted by a variety of methods.  I have found that some of the extracts show very preliminary anticancer activity.  There is still years of research to be done, but this is an exciting start.  The next step in this work is to collect very large quantities of these species and try to isolate the chemical responsible for the activity.  This is where I need you help.  If anyone is able to collect large amounts of any of the species listed below, I would appreciate an email or phone call (or both).  I could arrange to have the mushrooms sent to me overnight or reimburse you for your cost in shipping them to me.  

A few words about what a "large" sample consists of.  A species like Leotia lubrica is small, 50 to 100 individuals would still be a big help.  I can't think of an upper limit with this species.  In fact, I have no upper limit with Lentinellus urisinus either.  I am very interested in getting as much of these two species as is possible.  On the other hand, 20 individuals of a Suillus species would be a good size amount.  However, if you come across a large fruiting and can easily collect 100 or more, please do so.  In addition, I would like to receive a large amount of any Suillus species that you come across, even those that are not on this list.

The species that I am currently interested in obtaining as much as possible are:

Lentinellus ursinus
Leotia lubrica (if you even SEE this species, please let me know.  I haven't talked to anyone who has even seen this one this year!! With this species, its best to let them air dry before sending).

Laccaria bicolor
Lycoperdon perlatum
Scleroderma verrucosum
Gymnopilus luteus
Hygrophorus arienticas
Clitocybe nuda
Cortinarius corrugatus
Russula brevipes
Lactarius vinaceorufescens
Lactarius aquifluus
Boletus frostii
Lepiota americana
Amanita flavorubescens
Xeromphalina campanella
Inocybe sororia
Hypomyces hyalinus

Oxyporus populinus
Trichaptum biforme
Pycnoporus cinnabarinus

Any large group of Suillus species  including: 
Suillus brevipes
Suillus tomentosus
Suillus ponderosus
Suillus placidus
Suillus granulatus
Suillus fuscotomentosus
Suillus placidus


Thanks for your help, please call or email me if you find any of the above.

Ed Mena
eemena@aol.com
e.mena@uconn.edu
860-464-7458

Please collect quantities of any of the above mushrooms and contact Ed Mena to arrange them to be delivered to his lab. He is quite serious about this and will gladly arrange to have them picked up. He needs FRESH SPECIMENS, NOT DRIED - and he well knows that this means he needs to move fast in order to get them before they start rotting.